Products & Solutions

About The Industrial Internet of Things

Industrial Internet of Things Overview

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connects machines, analytics, and people to create powerful insights to drive smarter, faster, and better business decisions. The IIoT is made up of interconnected machines and devices that can monitor, collect, exchange, and analyze data. It is transforming the industry and changing the way the industry functions. By combining machine-to-machine communications with analytics, companies can reap the benefits of unparalleled efficiency, productivity, and performance.

"As practical IIoT products and solutions emerge, users are starting to implement them to learn how they can create value. But with all the buzz about IIoT, where does an industrial engineer start? At the edge, of course!" - David Humphrey at ARC Advisory Group

History of The Internet of Things

History of Industrial Revolutions:

Industry 4.0 is a term that calls back to previous industrial revolutions, which were also characterized by transitions to new manufacturing processes made possible by new technologies. Key technologies mark the four industrial revolutions:

Getting started in Industry 4.0 can seem like a daunting task. However, there are a few simple ways to get started. The HARTING MICA IIoT kits provide everything that is needed for a basic IIoT/Industry 4.0 prototyping application. To learn more about the kits and find one that's right for you, click here.

Internet of Things Terminology

IoT, IIoT, Industry 4.0., I4.0: These terms are thrown around, often interchangeably, but they each have very definitive terms and uses. Knowing this is the first step to navigating the connected world.

Internet of Things (IoT): The term IoT is a large, broad term that refers to a network of physical devices, such as phones, vehicles, appliances, et cetera, that are embedded with technology that allows them to connect and exchange data over “the Internet”. This results in a more direct integration of the physical world into our modern digital systems, with the goal of efficiency improvements, economic benefits, and automated work.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a subsection of the larger IoT that refers to industrial applications. IIoT devices require additional protection against its environment, such as enclosures with IP65 ratings. The term is used across many different industrial markets, including agriculture.

Industry 4.0 (I4.0): Industry 4.0 (or “I4.0”) refers to a slightly different, but also shared section of the IoT and IIoT space. Industry 4.0 is often called "the fourth industrial revolution" or "smart factories." In Industry 4.0, cyber-physical systems can monitor physical processes, create a virtual copy of the physical world and make decentralized decisions. These systems can communicate and cooperate with each other and with humans in real time, both internally and across an organization to maximize operational efficiencies and streamline processes. While IoT and IIoT relate specifically to the benefits of connecting devices to the broader “Internet”, Industry 4.0 focuses more on the general process of optimizing industrial operations based on the collection and evaluation of data, which may or may not include an Internet connection.

Connect to The IIoT in Less Than 10 Minutes

It’s easy to talk about integrating IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), but it’s another thing entirely to do it. Many people don’t know where to start or what IIoT applications would benefit their operations the best. That’s why HARTING developed these IIoT starter kits. Each kit has everything needed for a basic application and is ideal for those starting with IIoT. The HARTING MICA boasts a container-based open architecture so users can easily customize to their specific application well beyond what is included in the kits.

Hear From the Experts

Learn everything you need to know to make the IIoT a reality from this All-Star panel.

The IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) is more than just a buzzword, it’s the future of the industrial marketplace. To discuss its current state, what challenges it faces, and its future opportunities, HARTING has assembled a panel of outside experts who will provide their own unique insights into the IIoT and guide the audience systematically through the intricacies of creating and deploying a successful IIoT solution.
The live panel discussion has been separated into 8 different parts:

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Trains are a critical form of moving people and things from one point to another. Integrating IIoT functionalities has become essential for train companies and transit authorities who want to improve the safety, reliability, and maintenance of their systems. Compared to other applications, trains have special requirements. Trains travel at high speeds through harsh environments. The environments and vibration during travel means that all systems on the trains need to be extremely robust and reliable.

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Digitalizing a factory. Improving Overall Operational Efficiencies (OEE) using technology. Building a predictive maintenance system. All of these are reasons that companies are turning to Industry 4.0. However, implementing a solution specific to an existing factory can seem overwhelming. As no two applications are exactly the same, finding an out of the box solution that perfectly fits in your existing application is unlikely. Having said this, tailoring existing, tested IIoT solutions for your applications is easy with the right partner. This is the concept behind HARTING’s IIoT Solution Packages.

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Condition monitoring is a necessity in modern production and business models. Condition monitoring (or, colloquially, CM) is the process of monitoring a parameter of condition in machinery (vibration, temperature, et cetera) to identify a significant change that is indicative of a developing fault. It is a major component of predictive maintenance.
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Understanding the location of assets as well as stored and updated information about the asset is the core of automated asset management. One of the most reliable and widely used ways to manage assets is via an MICA RF-R500 RFID system. RFID is a technology that uses radio waves to read, capture and store information on an RFID tag that is attached to an object.

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Injection molding machines are the center of the manufacturing process for many companies and, due to the materials and processes used, one of the most complex machines on the floor. This is why the first machines a company considers for upgrading with IIoT capabilities is usually the injection molding machines.

MICA Starter Kits

The Industry's First IIoT Starter Kits
It’s easy to talk about integrating IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), but it’s another thing entirely to do it. Many people don’t know where to start or what IIoT applications would benefit their operations the best. That’s why HARTING developed these IIoT starter kits. Each kit has everything needed for a basic application and is ideal for those starting with IIoT. The HARTING MICA boasts a container-based open architecture so users can easily customize to their specific application well beyond what is included in the kits.

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When the decision is made to integrate IIoT, there are two possible strategies. Either a company can invest in completely new machines and equipment that were developed exclusively for this need or they can upgrade their current machines, otherwise known as legacy machinery, and equipment with devices that make this type of communication possible. Digital retrofit here means taking a device that produces or uses data of some sort and connecting it to a device that can allow that data to be a part of a larger data pool.

The new Han® Configurator

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